Caricature with Mola Protecting Himself from a Man Holding a Viper 

Pier Francesco Mola made this pen and brown ink drawing titled, Caricature with Mola Protecting Himself from a Man Holding a Viper, sometime in the 17th century. Here, Mola, known for his caricatures, creates a satirical and somewhat self-deprecating image. The figure shielding himself likely represents the artist, confronted by a man holding a viper – perhaps a symbol of criticism or professional rivalry within the Roman art world. The exaggerated features and dynamic lines characteristic of caricature were often used to critique social types and individual personalities. This drawing provides insight into the competitive atmosphere of the art scene in Rome at that time. The city was teeming with artists vying for patronage and recognition. To fully understand the drawing, researchers might delve into biographies of Mola’s contemporaries, examining period documents, letters, and even gossip to reveal the networks of power and influence within the art institutions of the era. This drawing speaks to the enduring role of art as a mirror reflecting the artist’s social and institutional context.